What’s in a name? Well, for most parents, the task of giving their baby the perfect moniker is a daunting challenge.

Nowadays, there seems to be an abundance of unique and unusual names. With influence from celebrities and social media personalities, the era of opting for traditional names for children appears to have faded away.

Now, names such as Onyx and Atlas – and we can’t forget when Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin named their daughter Apple – are rising in popularity.

But perhaps what’s more important than having a trendy name is choosing one that holds a deeper meaning.

After all, a name is typically the first thing we discover about someone, and studies indicate it can shape our perceptions of people long before we actually meet them.

For instance, a 2014 study from UC Irvine revealed that, across various nationalities and languages, individuals tend to place more trust in strangers whose names are easier for them to pronounce compared to those with more challenging names.

Another 2018 study from Cornell University, which set to find out the ‘gender bias of names,’ found its male and female participants were more than twice as likely to call male professionals – even fictional ones – by their last name only, compared to equivalent female professionals.

These researchers determined that when the male professionals were referred to only by their last name, they were perceived as more important than the women, who were referred to by their first and last names.

Baby name consultant Colleen Slagen reveals the names most likely to have a successful career

Nevertheless, the list of most popular baby names in the US has remained relatively unchanged in the last two decades. 

The Social Security Administration has been tracking the most popular baby names each year, with data dating back to 1880.

According to the SSA, the name ‘Olivia’ has continued to hold the number one spot for most popular girl names for six consecutive years, while ‘Liam’ has been the most popular boy name for eight years in a row.

There’s truly an endless amount of options when it comes to the perfect name.

As such, consultant Colleen Slagen has made a career out of advising soon-to-be parents on finding the baby names that are perfect for their little one.

The names most likely to have a successful career

According to Slagen, the names most likely to have a successful career are Walker, Henry, James, Mateo, Caroline, Elizabeth, Camila and Lenore.

While Slagen acknowledged there’s truly no telling whether your child will be successful based simply on their name, she explained that people often think of ‘classic’ names like these as having a ‘polished, formal or professional feel to them.’

A 2011 study found that people with simple and easy-to-pronounce names were viewed more favorably than those with complex or unique names

These names are timeless and never go out of style, as opposed to more ‘informal’ or ‘ultra-modern’ names like Rainbow and Clover, which she said ‘don’t feel as serious.’

The most ‘old money’ names

Names are always falling in and out of fashion, but one of the most recent trends increasing in popularity are names that match an ‘old money’ aesthetic.

The term ‘old money’ typically refers to the mega rich families of the 19th and 20th centuries, such as the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts.

These names, usually passed down to family members of different generations, represent the specific air of classiness and chic timelessness often prescribed to ‘old money’ families at the time.

According to Slagen, ‘elaborate, fancy family surnames as well as classic names with a long history of use that aren’t overly common’ typically fall under this category.

‘Literary and historical references can absolutely contribute to a name feeling refined or “old money,”‘ she added.

These names include Georgianna, Beatrice, Vivienne, Rosalind, Cordelia, Philippa, Lawrence, Hamilton, Carlisle and Calloway.

According to Slagen, Rome, Leonardo, Rafael, Sebastian, Everett, Jude, Juliette, Esme, Celeste and Margot are the most romantic-sounding names that will easily make others fall in love

The names most likely to make people fall in love with you

Rome, Leonardo, Rafael, Sebastian, Everett, Jude, Juliette, Esme, Celeste and Margot are the most romantic-sounding names that will easily make others fall in love, Slagen said.

‘For girls, I think ultra-feminine, soft-sounding and chic names invoke a romantic feel.’

For boys, names such as August and Miles also ‘sound sweet and gentle.’ 

The naming expert pointed out that some of these monikers draw inspiration from classic romantic references, like William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

The next ‘Olivia’ and ‘Liam’

For some parents, it is important to consider when choosing a name if their kid will be the third Matthew or fifth Emily in their classroom.

While Olivia and Liam both sit at the number one spot for girls and boys, respectively, the SSA’s runner-up for most popular name of 2024 was Noah for boys and Emma for girls.

This was followed by Oliver and Amelia in the third spot, and Theodore and Charlotte in the fourth. Rounding out the top five were James for boys and Mia for girls. 

According to Slagen, these are the names we can expect to see becoming even more popular in the next few years: Truce, Colsen, Rocky, Kace and Benson for boys; Scottie, Marjorie, Ailany, Romy and Elowyn for girls.

The name ‘Olivia’ has held the number one spot for most popular girl names for six consecutive years, while ‘Liam’ has been the most popular boy name for eight years in a row

The SSA found that Truce was the baby name that jumped the most in popularity for boys from 2023 to 2024. The name rose a whopping 11,118 spots in just one year.

Colsen jumped 1,204 spots between 2023 to 2024, and Rocky rose from number 888 in 2023 to number 657 the following year. Kace also jumped 214 spots on the list, while Benson rose 181 spots.

As for girls, the name Ailany rose the most in popularity from 2023 to 2024, according to the SSA.  

Marjorie was the third trending baby name, jumping a total of 429 spots that year; it was closely followed by Scottie, which moved up 414 spots.

Romy, which was ranked number 1283 in 2023 made it to number 926 the following year, while Elowyn went from number 692 to 447.

The most unattractive-sounding names

While some names may have been popular decades ago, Slagen says they are not all as timeless as parents might think. 

Slagen revealed names that have ‘harsher consonant sounds’ might be best for parents to avoid because they’re no longer ‘en vogue.’ 

Some of these names include Bertha, Mortimer and Vanis.